4/27/2018

The Marvel movies have always had a very tenuous relationship with their TV cousins. While early episodes of Agents of SHIELD would reflect major events in their own way, say the emergence of HYDRA as series villains or the occasional guest appearance by Maria Hill or Sif, it's largely kept to itself. The Netflix shows might as well be on another planet, other than a passing reference or two to the "New York incident" from The Avengers six years ago.

Avengers: Infinity War throws a giant purple monkeywrench into things, though, because you simply can't ignore what happened at the end of the movie. Period. Full stop. Half the universe is dead, including mainstay heroes like Spider-Man, Black Panther, and more. You mean to tell me nobody in Hell's Kitchen got turned to dust? Nah, son. My imagination doesn't stretch that far.

So what's the deal? Agents of SHIELD co-creator Jed Whedon spoke with Digital Spy and he says not to expect much...

“It is one universe and so the events of that film will affect us, but over the years we’ve become more separate, or have become our own story,” he explained. “Initially we were really tying in just to branch off of [the movies] but now we’re much more interested and we think it’s much more rewarding that we’re more self-contained...I think it’ll change some of our characters’ motivations, and it’ll change our trajectory a little bit."

That's got to be a joke. A little bit? They might as well begin next season with a disclaimer that reads "Although this series set in the Marvel Universe, it's really like an offshoot Marvel Universe, like Heroes Reborn or some shit like that."

It's not like anybody would mourn if Iron Fist vanished and never came back.